Reversible side slipping weft detector



mh 3, 1936. o. v. PAYNE 2, 0

REVERSIBLE SIDE SLIPPING WEFT DETECTOR Filed April '25, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet l Attorneysarch 3, 1936. Q v. PAYNE 2,033,002

REVERSIBLE SIDE SLIPPING WEIFT DETECTOR Filed April '25, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE 5 Inventor Dacar V. Payne m Attorneys Patented Mar.3, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT oFFIeE REVERSIBLE SIDE SLIPPING WEFTDETECTOR Application April 25,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in side slipping weft detectorsfor looms and mountings thereof and it is the general object of theinvention to provide a detector and mounting which will permit use whenright side up or inverted.

Because of the economy of arrangement in a weave shed it is customary tobuild looms right and left hand. When such looms are controlled as tocertain of their operations by weft detector mechanisms the latter aremounted on one side of a right hand loom and on the opposite side of aleft hand loom. It is an important object of my present invention toprovide a weft detector so constructed that it will operatesatisfactorily at either side of the loom, the detector working rightside up on one hand of the loom and being inverted on the opposite handof the loom.

Such detectors are customarily mounted on a support which is carried bysome part of the loom frame, such for instance as the breast beam, andit is a further object of my present invention to form the support insuch a way that it can be used right side up to position the detectorcorrectly with respect to the feeler slot on one side of the loom andinverted to present the feeler finger correctly for the feeler slot onthe other side of an opposite hand loom.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 727,302 I have shown a sideslipping electrically indicating weft detector so constructed that upondetecting non-indicating beats of the loom the actuator for the electricswitch moves away from the latter to prevent accidental indication. Thedetector shown in that application is positioned by a single springwhich serves to return the detector finger and its supporting lever tonormal position after a side slipping indicating movement. It is afurther object of my present invention to construct the feeler fingerand its supporting lever in such a way that the finger is supportedequally well whether the detector as a whole be right side up orinverted. This result I may accomplish by making the supporting lever oftwo similar parts which are spaced to receive between them the detectorfinger, although I do not wish to be limited to this particular meansfor accomplishing the result specified.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

1935, Serial No. 18,089

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved weft detector and. mountingtherefor shown applied tothe right end of a right hand loom,

Fig. 2 is a View similar to- Fig. 1 but with the detector and itsmounting in inverted position and applied to the left end of a left handloom,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of my improved detector andmounting therefor showing the same as used right side up and inverted,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the detector with the cover removed,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the detector finger and. supporting levertherefor, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 66, Fig. 5, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame Ill having a breast beamH behind which reciprocates the lay l2. A shuttle box B is mounted onthe right end of the lay as shown in Fig. 1 and has a box front [3provided with a feeler slot l4 which may align with a corresponding slotnot shown in shuttle S when the latter is in the box. The matter shownin Fig. 1 is that to be found on a so-oalled right hand loom.

In Fig. 2 I show portions of a similar loom but of opposite hand, theloom frame 20 having a breast beam- 2| and a lay 22 having a. box front23 provided with a horizontal slot 24 similar to slot I4. The structureshown in Fig. 2 represents the detector end of a so-called left handloom. The parts thus far described may be of common construction inlooms and of itself forms no part of my present invention.

The weft detector proper comprises a housing H having a base 30 formedwith a vertical wall 3| which extends upwardly from a floor 32. A boss33 rises from the floor and supports two normally spaced insulatedspring electric contacts 34 and 35, respectively. A wire 36 may beconnected electrically with the spring contact 34 while the othercontact may be grounded. It is sufficient to state for the purposes ofthe present description that engagement of the'two spring contacts 34and will bring about a change in loom operation,such for instance, asweft replenishment or loom stoppage.

The floor has upstanding therefrom a bearing boss 40 having therein avertical bushed bearing 4| which receives a stud or journal 42 rotatabletherein. Lubrication of the journal is provided by means of a wick 43located in a bore 44 of the lug or boss 40. I j

The stud 42 has secured thereto a pair of similar spaced levers formingtop and bottom plates 45 and 46, respectively, which are separated bycollar 41. Each plate has a short finger 48 which is positioned forengagement with the spring contact 35 when the detector indicatesexhaustion of weft but which is normally ineffective to close the switchat any other time.

Each plate has a laterally extending arm 49 and both of the arms supporta pivot screw 50 around which the detector finger 5| swings. Thedetector may preferably be made of wire and has a bearing plate 52secured thereto which exr.

tends between the plates 45 and 46 and has pivotal connection with thescrew or stud 58. The

wire 5| extends as shown in Fig. 4 to the right from the screw 50 andhas a bend 53 to cooperate with a fixed guide pin 54 supported by theshell. From the shell the wire extends rearwardly as at 55 and may havean enlarged detector tip 56 secured thereto. spring 51 is interposedbetween the detector finger and the arms 49, being held in place byguides 58 and 59 carried by the bearing 52 and the arms 49,respectively. The plates 45 and 46 have a reduced rearwardly projectingextension 68 which supports a pin 6| passing between them to limitrearward movement of the detector finger under action of the spring andalso hold the plates 45 and 46 properly spaced so that the wire 5! mayslide between said plates without undue resistance. The guide 59 mayalso serve to space the lever plates.

The shell 3| has supporting lugs 65 which are at substantially the sameheight as the boss 33 and the top of pin 54, and there is upstandingpreferably from the lug 40 a threaded shoulder 66 which is also the sameheight as the lug 65. A cover 61 rests on the lug 33, pin 54, lugs 65and shoulder 66 and is held by a screw 68 fastened into the shoulder.

The head of the stud 42 is preferably broadened as at 10 and issubstantially the same height as the shoulder 66 so as to lie closelyunder the .cover 61 when the feeler is used right side up,

and derive support from said cover when the feeler is inverted. Thedetector shell has a central tapped bore 12 extending downwardly throughthe lug 48 and floor 32 to receive a supporting screw 13.

In order to hold the detector for cooperation with a shuttle to bedetected I provide a support 15 having slot 16 to receive a supportingscrew H. A rod 80 extends through a hub 8| at the rear of support 15 andis held in adjusted longitudinal position by a screw 82. The rod isoffset as at 83 and has an outer portion 84 substantially parallel tothe part received by hub 8|. A small holder 85 is held in longitudinallyadjusted position on the end 84 by a set screw 86.

As shown in Fig. 3 the axis of that part of the wire 86 in hub 8| may bein vertical alignment with the wire 5| of the detector finger and whenthe detector is used on a right hand loom the end 84 will be down sothat the holder 85 and the detector carried thereby will be above theend 84. When the parts are assembled on a left hand loom as shown inFig. 2, however, the part 84 will be above the detector and the holder85 will hang down from the rod. In both instances, however, the centerof the detector tip will be in more or less vertical alignment with themain axis of the rod 80 so that whether the detector be used right sideup or inverted it 'will' align itself correctly ;with the detector slotsin the box fronts. This relation will be understood fromFig. 3, wherethe dot A light compression' and dash line (1 passing through thecenters of the detector tips also passes through the main axis of therod.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple weftdetector and mounting which can be used right side up on a right handloom as shown in Fig. l, or in inverted position at the left hand sideof a left hand loom, the mounting for the detector being such that ineither position the feeler tip will be correctly positioned forcooperation with a surface to be detected. When the detector is usedright side up the detector finger derives its support intermediate theends thereof from the bottom plate 46, butwhen in inverted position thefinger is supported by the plate 45 and the carrier lever L which ismade up principally of the two plates is supported by the broadened head10 resting on the cover of the detector. While I have shown thereversible feature of the mounting as depending upon the offset 83 inthe rod 80,yet I do not wish to be thus limited.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In an invertible weft detector for looms, a support, means to holdthe support either erect or inverted, a carrier lever pivoted to thesupport, means operated by the lever whether the support and lever beerect or inverted to give indication of weft exhaustion when the levermoves in a given direction, and a detector finger pivoted to the leverand movable when detecting an exhausted supply of weft to move thecarrier lever in said given direction, the lever and finger soconstructed that the lever extends above and below the detector fingerand supports the finger when the support is either erect or inverted.

2.'In an invertible weft detector for looms, a support, means to holdthe support either erect or inverted, a carrier lever pivoted to thesupport, means to give indication of weft exhaustion when the levermoves in a given direction, a de- -tector finger having a rear weftengaging end,

and a pivotal connection between the lever and finger, the leverconstructed to support the finger at a point between the pivotalconnection and the rear end thereof whether the support'be erect orinverted.

3. In an invertible weft detector for looms, a support, means to mountthe support either erect or inverted, a carrier lever formed of twospaced plates secured together and pivoted to the support, means toindicate exhaustion of weft when the lever swings in a given direction,and a detector finger pivoted to the lever and movable between theplates when detecting an exhausted supply of weft to swing the lever insaid given direction, the detector finger being supported by one of theplates whether the support be erect or inverted.

' 4. In an invertible weft detector for looms having a surface to bedetected, a detector finger having a rear tip to engage the surface tobe detected, a support, a carrier lever for the detector pivoted to thesupport and having two plates fastened together, one above and the otherbelow the finger, to support the latter when the support is either erector inverted, and a mounting for the support to position the tip toengage the surface when the support is in either position.

5. In an invertible weft detector for either end of a loom, a sideslipping detector finger to move at indication of weft exhaustion in thesame direction laterally relatively to the center of the loom when thedetector is at either end of the loom, means to support the detectorerect at one end of the loom and inverted at the other end, said meansconstructed to hold the detector finger at the same elevation at eachend of the loom, and a pivotally mounted carrier for the finger, thefinger and carrier so formed that the latter supports the finger whetherthe detector be erect or inverted.

6. In an invertible side slipping weft detector having a support, acarrier lever pivoted to the support and comprising upper and lowerportions, a detector finger pivoted to the lever and having a partthereof extending between the upper and lower portions, whereby thelatter supports the detector finger whether the detector be erect orinverted, and means carried by the detector and rendered eiTective ineither position of the detector to efiect indication of weft exhaustionwhen the finger slips laterally to move the lever.

7. In an invertible electrically indicating side slipping weft detector,a housing, means to support the housing either erect or inverted, anelectric switch carried by said housing, a carrier lever pivoted to thehousing and having upper and lower portions, a detector finger pivotedto the lever and having a part extending between upper and lowerportions to be supported by the latter whether the detector be erect orinverted, and means carried by the lever to operate the switch when thedetector finger moves laterally to give indication of weft exhaustionregardless of the position of the housing.

8. In an invertible electrically indicating side slipping weft detector,a housing comprising a base and a cover, an electric switch carried bythe housing, a carrier lever to close the switch and having upper andlower portions, a detector finger pivoted to the lever and having a partextending between said portions to be supported by the latter whetherthe housing be erect or inverted, and a pivotal support for the detectorderiving its support from the base when the housing is erect andderiving its support from the cover when the housing is inverted.

9. In an invertible electric side slipping weft detector, a housingcomprising a base and a cover, an electric switch in the housing, acarrier lever to operate the switch, a detector finger pivoted to thelever, said lever and finger constructed so that the lever supports thefinger whether the housing be erect or inverted, and a pivotal supportfor the lever carried by the housing and supported by the base when thedetector is erect and supported by the cover when the detector isinverted.

10. In a side slipping weft detector to be used at either end of a loom,a housing, a detector finger projecting from the housing slidablelaterally in a horizontal plane to indicate weft exhaustion, meanswithin the housing to support the detector finger whether the housing beerect or inverted, and supporting means for the housing to be mounted oneither end of the loom to hold the housing either erect or inverted withthe detector finger at the same elevation for either position of thehousing, said means including a member having two parts at difierentlevels which can be inverted when the housing is inverted.

11. In a side slipping weft detector to be used at either end of a loom,a housing, a detector finger projecting from the housing slidablelaterally in a horizontal plane to indicate weft exhaustion, meanswithin the housing to support the detector finger whether the housing beerect or inverted, an invertible support means for the housing, saidinvertible means including a rod having offset portions one of which issupported by the loom and the other of which supports the housing, therod to assume different positions to locate the detector finger at thesame elevation whether the housing and support be erect or inverted.

OSCAR V. PAYNE.

